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NCT Number: NCT04868305

Intramedullary Nail Versus Hip Arthroplasty in Unstable Trochanteric Hip Fractures

A hip fracture is a large burden to the patient with increased mortality, pain and increased need for daily assistance. Trochanteric fractures of the femur (FTF) represents about 35% of the hip fractures. Today FTFs are mainly treated with internal fixation using sliding hips screws (SHS) or intramedullary nail (IMN), whilst hip arthroplasty (THA/HA) is rarely used. Despite advances in the design of the internal fixation implants there is a high failure rate, in particular in cases of FTFs classified as unstable fractures. Since the introduction of hip arthroplasty in femoral neck fractures there has been a reduction in complication rates, early mobilization and shorter hospital stays.

The primary objective of this project is to investigate if treatment with hip arthroplasty in unstable FTFs will increase the postoperative mobility, give a better general health outcome for the patient, better quality of life and reduce re-operation rate for the patients compared to those operated with the traditional IMN.

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Key information

Conditions

Hip Injuries and Disorders Disease Femoral Fractures Fractures, Bone Hip Fractures Hip Injuries Leg Injuries Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Wounds and Injuries

Age range

65 year–120 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Stavanger University Hospital

Stavanger, Norway

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Thomas Woldeyesus, MD

CONTACT

About this study

Proximal femoral fractures also termed "hip" fractures are one of the most common fractures among adults over 50 years of age. With increase in life expectancy, the incidence of these fractures is also increasing. By 2040, the number of these fractures are expected to double in Norway. Trochanteric fractures of the femur (Fractura Trochanterica Femoris, FTF) represents about 35% of the hip fractures in Norway . There are many classification systems for FTFs, but The Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) have adopted the system developed by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Osteosynthese (AO ) group, and is the most commonly used in addition to the Evans Jensens classification.

The mean age of hip fracture patients is 82 years for women and 78 for men. The comorbidity in this patient group is high with large amount of dementia, sarcopenia and osteoporosis. The one-year mortality rate after a hip fractures is 20-35%. According to the Norwegian Hip Fracture Register 15 % of the hip fractures are unstable trochanteric fractures (AO 31A2.2-A3). The prognosis is poor, in particular for unstable (multi fragmented) fractures, with reported complications up to 35-51 %.

Substantial research has established better understanding and best practice guidelines to treat the femoral neck fractures, mostly with hip arthroplasty, however no superior method is established for the unstable trochanteric fractures. 'Getting It Right First Time' is important for these fragile patients, thus post-operative complications are associated with a large increase in the mortality.

Today, most of the FTFs are reduced and fixated with a sliding hip screw (SHS), although the use of intramedullary nails (IMN) is increasing. RCTs have shown better survival of IMN compared to SHS for the more distal FTFs and subtrochanteric fracture. Unstable FTFs (AO 31A2 - A3, EVJ III-V) have high reoperation rates (21-35%) when operated either with SHS or IMN. Unacceptable shortening, external rotation deformity of the limb and long time to recover/mobilization have been the problems with osteosynthesis.

The question is if hip arthroplasty can give a superior treatment outcome for patients suffering from unstable subtypes of trochanteric hip fractures compared to the traditional treatment with IMN. A randomized clinical trial is to be conducted comparing these two treatment methodologies.

Stavanger University Hospital (SUH) receives over 150 FTFs per year. About 1/3 of the FTFs are of unstable fracture morphology. The planned study is a randomized clinical trial. The randomization module will be provided by Klinisk forskningsenhet Midt-Norge (KlinForsk). Patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria will be randomized to one of two treatment groups, IMN versus hip arthroplasty.

Included patients will be treated in accordance to a local operation protocol:

Intramedullary nails will be operated by a resident orthopedic surgeon with at least 2 years' experience in fracture surgery or a consultant orthopedic surgeon (there must always be a consultant orthopedic surgeon present in the surgical team). A long IMN must always be utilized. Anatomical reposition or positive anterior and medial cortical support should be strived to be achieved. If a large antero- or posteromedial fragment is present one should consider an additional cerclage to fix the fragment.

Arthroplasty will be operated by a resident orthopedic surgeon with at least 2 years' experience with hip arthroplasty surgery or by a consultant orthopedic surgeon subspecialized in arthroplasty surgery, with competency within revision or difficult primary hip arthroplasty surgery (there must always be a consultant orthopedic surgeon subspecialized in arthroplasty surgery present in the surgical team). Posterior surgical approach will be used. If a cup is to be utilized it must be a cemented dual-mobility cup.

The patients will have follow-up appointments at 2-, 6 and 12 months postoperative. Following data will be collected:

  • Patient reported outcome measures (HOOS and EQ5D)
  • Timed up and go test
  • Trendelenburg test
  • Clinical leg length discrepancy
  • Radiological assessment from hip x-rays (AP and lateral)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age ≥ 65 years
  • American Society of Anesthesiology Score (ASA) < 4
  • Ambulant with or without aid (preinjury)
  • Radiological verified unstable trochanteric hip fracture (AO 31A2.2 - 3.3)
  • Written consent obtained by patient or his/her next of kin

Exclusion criteria

  • Previous hip surgery on ipsilateral or contralateral side
  • Non-ambulant preinjury
  • Patient not living in the area of hospital care

Treatment and study plan

Intramedullary nail

Procedure

Intertan nail (Smith & Nephew)* or Gamma 3 nail (Stryker)*

  • All of the above-mentioned products are subjects to change into an equivalent product

hip arthroplasty

Procedure

Total hip arthroplasty:

  • Cemented: Lubinus (Link)*, Exeter (Stryker)*
  • Uncemented: Restoration Modular (Stryker)*
  • Cup: Cemented Avantage dual mobility cup (Zimmer Biomet)*

Hemiarthroplasty:

  • Cemented: Lubinus (Link)*, Exeter (Stryker)*
  • Uncemented: Restoration Modular (Stryker)*
  • All of the above-mentioned products are subjects to change into an equivalent product

Primary outcomes

  1. Patient Reported Outcome Measure (PROM)

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS).

    "HOOS is developed as an instrument to assess the patients' opinion about their hip and associated problems. HOOS consists of 5 subscales; Pain, other Symptoms, Function in daily living (ADL), Function in sport and recreation (Sport/Rec) and hip related Quality of life (QOL). The last week is taken into consideration when answering the questions. Standardized answer options are given (5 Likert boxes) and each question gets a score from 0 to 4. A normalized score (100 indicating no symptoms and 0 indicating extreme symptoms) is calculated for each subscale. The result can be plotted as an outcome profile.

    • Above information about HOOS is copied from the authors of www.KOOS.nu
    • Change in HOOS score will be observed from 2-, 6- and 12 months.

  2. Patient Reported Outcome Measure (PROM)

    Time frame: Collected from 2 to 12 months from primary surgery

    EuroQol EQ-5D.

    "The descriptive system comprises 5 dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. Each dimension has 5 levels: no problems, slight problems, moderate problems, severe problems and extreme problems. This decision results in a 1-digit number that expresses the level selected for that dimension. The digits for the 5 dimensions can be combined into a 5-digit number that describes the patient's health state.

    The EQ VAS records the patient's self-rated health on a vertical visual analogue scale, where the endpoints are labelled 'The best health you can imagine' and 'The worst health you can imagine'. The VAS can be used as a quantitative measure of health outcome that reflect the patient's own judgement."

    Change in EQ-5D score will be observed from 2-, 6- and 12 months.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Mortality

    Time frame: 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Mortality rates will be analyzed

  2. Complications related to prosthesis

    Time frame: Collected from 2 to 12 months from primary surgery

    Specific complications related to the randomly assign intervention;

    • Peri prosthesis fracture
    • Prosthesis dislocation
    • Prosthesis loosening
    • Dislocation of trochanter major
    • Surgical wound infection (superficial)
    • Deep surgical wound infection

  3. Complications related to osteosynthesis

    Time frame: Collected from 2 to 12 months from primary surgery

    Specific complications related to the randomly assign intervention;

    • Peri implant fracture (intraoperative or postoperative)
    • Implant cut-out
    • Non-union of fracture
    • Dislocation of trochanter major
    • Surgical wound infection (superficial)
    • Deep surgical wound infection

  4. Somatic postoperative complications

    Time frame: Collected from 2 to 12 months from primary surgery

    • Deep vein thrombosis or other thromboembolic event
    • Pressure sores
    • Neurological complications
    • Other

  5. Reoperation rate

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Reoperation rate (and causes) within each intervention arm

  6. Radiological assessment of horizontal center of rotation (prosthesis)

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Horizontal center of rotation (millimeter)

    Observation for eventual changes in above mentioned variable will be recorded throughout three follow-up appointments.

  7. Radiological assessment of vertical center of rotation (prosthesis)

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Vertical center of rotation (millimeter)

    Observation for eventual changes in above mentioned variable will be recorded throughout three follow-up appointments.

  8. Radiological assessment of acetabular inclination (prosthesis)

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Acetabular inclination (degrees)

    Observation for eventual changes in above mentioned variable will be recorded throughout three follow-up appointments.

  9. Radiological assessment of acetabular anteversion (prosthesis)

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Acetabular anteversion (degrees)

    Observation for eventual changes in above mentioned variable will be recorded throughout three follow-up appointments.

  10. Radiological assessment of femoral stem positioning (prosthesis)

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Femoral stem positioning (valgus, neutral, varus)

    Observation for eventual changes in above mentioned variable will be recorded throughout three follow-up appointments.

  11. Radiological assessment of leg length discrepancy (intramedullary nail)

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Leg length discrepancy (millimeter)

    Observation for eventual changes in above mentioned variable will be recorded throughout three follow-up appointments.

  12. Radiological assessment of femoral neck length (intramedullary nail)

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Femoral neck length (millimeter)

    Observation for eventual changes in above mentioned variable will be recorded throughout three follow-up appointments.

  13. Radiological assessment of hip offset (intramedullary nail)

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Hip offset (millimeter)

    Observation for eventual changes in above mentioned variable will be recorded throughout three follow-up appointments.

  14. Radiological assessment of tip-to-apex (intramedullary nail)

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Tip-to-Apex (millimeter)

    Observation for eventual changes in above mentioned variable will be recorded throughout three follow-up appointments.

  15. Radiological assessment of medial cortical support (intramedullary nail)

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Medial cortical support (negativ, neutral or positive)

    Observation for eventual changes in above mentioned variable will be recorded throughout three follow-up appointments.

  16. Radiological assessment of anterior cortical support (intramedullary nail)

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Anterior cortical support (negativ, neutral or positive)

    Observation for eventual changes in above mentioned variable will be recorded throughout three follow-up appointments.

  17. Radiological assessment of trochanter major dislocation (intramedullary nail)

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Trochanter major dislocation (millimeter)

    Observation for eventual changes in above mentioned variable will be recorded throughout three follow-up appointments.

  18. Timed Up and Go test (TUG test)

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Timed Up and Go test is used to asses mobility at follow-up 2-, 6- and 12 months postoperative.

    Observation for eventual changes in above mentioned variable will be recorded throughout three follow-up appointments.

  19. Trendelenburg test

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Trendelenburg test is used to assess hip abductor function at follow-up 2-, 6- and 12 months postoperative.

  20. Clinical leg length discrepancy

    Time frame: Collected at 2, 6 and 12 months from primary surgery

    Clinical assessment of leg length discrepancy using 5 mm plates.

    Observation for eventual changes in above mentioned variable will be recorded throughout three follow-up appointments.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Ane Djuv, MD., PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+4751518284

Thomas Abel Woldeyesus, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+4751513488

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Helse Stavanger HF

Other Gov

Registry information

Official study title

Randomized Clinical Trial: Treatment of Unstable Trochanteric Hip Fractures With Intramedullary Nail Versus Hip Arthroplasty: Survival, Complications and Postoperative Patient Reported Outcomes

Acronym: TUFHIPRCT

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Apr 30, 2021
Registry last updated
Apr 30, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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